Thomas johnson



(No Model.)

T. JOHNSON. 5 VAPOR STOVE.

' No. 555,450. P55511555 P5525, 1896.

jizaafi NITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS JOHNSON, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE=HALF TO \VILLIAMBRANDON, OF SAME PLACE.

VAPOR-STOVE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 555,450, dated February25, 1896.

Application filed December23, 1895. Serial No. 573,169. (No model.) 7

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS JOHNSON, of the city of St. Louis, State ofMissouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inVapor-Stoves, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in vapor-stoves wherein gasolineis used as a fuel, and relates to an improvement in that particularstyle or type of such stove known generally to the trade as the NewProcess vapor-stove. In this class of stoves oil is delivered from thereservoir in drops upon a perforated cylinder or surface, and warm airtaken from near the burner of the stove is conducted through a pipe anddelivered to the perforated cylinder upon which the oil drops, andtaking up the oil converts it into a vapor, and this hydrocarbon vaporpasses through a pipe to the burner, where it is ignited and burns inthe form of a gas. This class of stove has very largely displaced theold style of stoves having self-generators, or stoves wherein the fluidis conveyed from the tank to the burner in a liquid form and is theretransformed into a vapor, by the heat of the burner; but there is oneobjection to this style of stove that did not exist in the old style,and this is that after the oil is shut off, when the use of the stoveis, for the time being, discontinued, there is an amount of unvaporizedfluid on the perforated cylinder, and this fluid is taken up by the sameamount of oxygen as was used while the oil was continuing to drop, sothat the same amount of oxygen is passing to the burner while thequantity of vaporized oil gradually diminishes, and this circulationkeeps up until the burner finally becomes extinguished, and as the flameof the burner becomes very nearly exhausted the excessive current of airloaded with but a small amount of gas causes the flame to puff out orbecome extinguished before the circulation of gascarrying air isentirely consumed. The result of this is that these stoves have alwaysbeen noted for emitting a disagreeable odor after they are turned ofi.

The object of my invention is to overcome this difficulty, and I havediscovered that it may be overcome by partially closing off thecirculation from the hot-air pipe at the time the reservoir is turnedoff, so that the proper amount of oxygen is delivered to the diminishedamount of oil on the perforated cylinder to insure perfect combustionand to cause a gentle flow of hydrocarbon to the burner after thereservoir is turned off, so that the burner will not puff out or becomeextinguished until the gas-carrying air is entirely consumed. Iaccomplish this result by the mechanism shown in the drawings, in whichFigure I is a side elevation, part in section. Fig. 11 is an enlargedvertical section through the hot-air pipe, showing the valve closed andin edge view. Fig. III is an enlarged section taken on line III III,Fig. I. Fig. IV is a view showing part of the hot-air pipe in section,and showing the valve closed, part in elevation and part in section.Fig. V is a similar view showing the valve entirely in elevation andclosed.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a vapor-stove, which, except sofar as it is modified by my invention, as hereinafter pointed out, is ofthe ordinary type or style of such stoves now generally upon the market.

2 represents the burner of the stove; 3, the hot-air pipe; 4:, the oiltank or reservoir; 5, the valve that controls the flow of oil from thetank; 6, the pipe through which the hydrocarbon is conducted to theburner, and 7 a perforated cylinder located at the upper end of the pipe6 within a housing or drum 8, with the upper end of which the pipe 3communicates. The perforated cylinder 7 and the drum 8 form what iscommonly known in these stoves as the vaporizer. These parts are, so faras my present invention is concerned, in themselves old.

In the operation of such stoves the oil falls drop by drop onto theperforated cylinder 7 and is taken up by air passing through the pipe 3and transformed into a hydrocarbon gas, which passes through the pipe 6to the burner, where it is consumed without emitting anobjectionableodor so long as the oil continues to drop from the tank onto theperforated cylinder; but, as stated, when the tank is turned off theamount of air passing through the pipe 3 is out of proportion with theamount of oil contained on the perforated cylinder, and this improperproportion i11- creases as the oil contained on the perforated cylinderafter the tank is shut oif becomes less and less, the result being animperfect combustion 'at the burner and the pufling out of the burner bythe excessive circulation before the gas-carrying air has been entirelyconsumed, resulting, as stated, in the stove emitting a disagreeableodor. This defect I overcome by placing in the air-pipe 3 a valve 9. Iprefer to place this valve slightly above the table or top of the stove,as shown in Fig. I, as it can be here conveniently reached, but it maybe placed at some other point in the hot-air pipe. The valve is providedwith a passage-way that permits the passage of a small amount of airafter the valve is closed, this air being suflicient to take up the oilon the perforated cylinder after the tank is turned off, and causes agentle flow of carrying air, that is gradually diminished in richness,to the burner. The valve 9 should be closed at substantially the sametime as the tank is turned off. The passage-way I have shown in the formof a perforation or hole 10 drilled through the valve. (See Fig. III.)The stem of the valve is provided with a suitable handle 11, by whichthe valve is turned, and the valve is preferably provided with a pin 12at one side, which, when the valve is opened, comes against the innerwall of the hot-air pipe, as shown in Fig. V, indicating that the valveis entirely open, and preventing the valve from being moved farther thana full, open position.

I am aware that it has been sought to overcome the obj eetionablefeature of these stoves above mentioned by locating a valve beneath theburner or in the pathway of the gas from the vaporizer or perforatedcylinder to the burner; but this is objectionable, for the reason thatit causes a pent-up quantity of unconsumed gas which is liable toexplode, and for the further reason that this gas sooner or later findsits way through the stove into the room, whereas with my arrangement thegas is entirely consumed, but in such a manner that the stove does notemit a disagreeable odor.

I claim as my invention 1. In a vapor-stove, the combination of aburner, a vaporizer upon which the oil is delivered, a hot-air pipeextending from the burner to the vaporizer, a pipe extending from thevaporizer to the burner and through which the hydrocarbon is conveyed,and a valve located in the hot-air pipe and formed to permit a smallpassage of air after it is closed, substantially as set forth.

2. In a vapor-stove, the combination of a burner, a vaporizer upon whichthe oil is delivered, a hot-air pipe extending from the burner to thevaporizer, a pipe extending from the vaporizer to the burner and throughwhich the hydrocarbon is conveyed, and a valve formed with a perforation10 for the passage of asmall amount of air after the flow of oil is shut01f and after said valve is closed, substantially as and for the purposeset forth.

THOS. JOHNSON. In presence of-- S. KNIGHT, N. FINLEY.

